Change in time
by Lady Razeli
Summary: Xena and Gabrielle get thrown into the future, and Xena seems to be eager to get rid of Gabrielle.
1. Chapter 1

**A change in time**

**by **

**Lady Razeli**

**Disclaimer: The characters of Xena belong to MCA Universal.**

**Chapter One**

**"Xena this is ridiculous. No one can see the future. So I don't know what I'm so paranoid about." Gabrielle said." And we won't take a trip there. I'm sure of it." **

**"So why did you drag me to see the fortune teller in the first place?" Xena asked. Although the look on her face said she agreed with Gabrielle. The truth was she'd been sucked into a portal more than once, and to many times. But she had established a life there that always picked up where she left off. Xena couldn't wait to return to her other home and family.**

**"For fun I guess, but it is a bunch of nonsense." Gabrielle said. **

**"Of course it is Gabrielle." They continued to walk down the path. It wasn't long before they were attacked by a gang of teenagers. They sent them crying back to their mothers. Not long after they were unexpectly sucked into a portal. **

**Xena sat up with a start. She looked around. It was dark and her husband was sleeping peacefully beside her and their son was between them. She watched them mainly her son. She was able to love him like she wasn't able to Solan. Xena turned hearing the sound of a baby crying. She'd almost forgotten about her. She stood up and went to see about her daughter. She hadn't seen her in so long even though she knew she was still four months. She remembered how the ice tomb had kept her away from Eve for twenty-five years. She nearly died when she realized that her daughter had grown up without her. The one thing besides her death she wanted to avoid. She entered her room and took in the sight of her daughter. She was perfect just like her son. She picked her up and took her downstairs. she warmed a bottle and fed her. She looked at all the pictures on the mantle, entertainment system, and walls. She remembered every one like it all happened yesterday. **

**"Lisa are you down here?" A.J. her husband asked looking over the rail. **

**"Yea, I'm just looking at the pictures while I feed Melissa." Xena said. She heard him come downstairs, and wrap his arms around her waist. His chin rested on her shoulder. **

**"Thinking about how fast they're growing up?" A.J. asked. **

**"No, just remembering." Xena said turning around to look into his brown eyes. He was dark like Marcus, but lighter. He had Hercules personality too. She remembered the first time she'd been thrown into this world she'd been in school. College as they called it. The second time when the portals was very unstable she'd come back to find out she was married with a son. It had taken her so long to remember what she had not experienced. Lucky for her she had woken up in a hospital. They thought she had Amnesia.**

**"Well remember when you put Melissa to bed and we had sex?" A.J. asked. He would have stepped closer, but Melissa was between them. Her eyes were closed as she finished the last bit of milk in her bottle.**

**"No when was this?" Xena asked confused. A.J. smiled. He loved the look on her face when she was confused. She looked so innocent and sweet. **

**"Well it will happen once you put Melissa to bed and I move Jeremy back to his own room." A.J. said. Xena smiled and kissed him.**

**"Ok." Xena said. They went upstairs, and she put Melissa back in bed. She was walking back to their room, and she paused as she watched A.J. gently tucking Jeremy in. A.J. kissed his forehead and than left out quietly. He smiled at her, and they went back to their room. Xena enjoyed herself letting him into her heart, and he let her in his. She had grown to love him as her counterpart had. Or future self really. She didn't understand it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**"Morning." A.J. said when she woke up. He was laying under her. She didn't move enjoying the feel of his smooth chest. He was physically fit.**

**"Morning." Xena said. **

**"Such a beautiful morning." A.J. said. **

**"Yes very beautiful." Xena said as the sun shined down on them through the window above them. The phone rang, and A.J. reached over to pick it up. He talked for a minute before hanging up. **

**"Who was that?" Xena asked. She was no longer startled by modern technology. **

**"That was just the guys about that Dam. I have to go out to Colorado for a few days. It'll be patched up and I'll be home." said A.J. **

**"Again." Xena said remembering he'd had to go patch it up before. **

**"Yea." A.J. said."But I don't want to get up." Xena was about to reply when they heard the body of a three year old hit the door. **

**"Now we really have too." Xena said. A.J. nodded. They got out of bed, and put back on their pjs. Xena wore a white top with spagetti straps, and purple plaid pj pants. A.J. just wore fuit of the looms white beater and light blue boxers. Xena opened the door to see Jeremy layed out on the floor in front of the door. **

**"Are you ok?" Xena asked. He nodded as he stood up and ran into the room. He started jumping on the bed. She went and got Melissa who was awake. She sat back down on the bed when she returned to the room. **

**"Hey buddy think fast." A.J. said. Jeremy looked at him, and he hit him lightly with the pillow. They had a pillow fight and wrestled with each other. Xena smiled. She played with Melissa making her smile.**

**"Ok that's enough play its time for breakfast." A.J. said when Melissa gave her I'm hungry cry. They went downstairs and had a wonderful breakfast. It only got sad when A.J. had to leave for that dam. **

**"See you all in a few days." said A.J."Jeremy don't give mommy to much trouble ok." **

**"Ok daddy." Jeremy said hugging him.**

**"When I get back we'll see that baseball game as planned ok." said A.J. **

**"Ok Daddy." Jeremy said. A.J. stood up and went over to Melissa who was on the couch. He kissed her and talked to her for a minute. Xena walked over with his lunch he'd asked for. He hated airline food. She loved that she could cook in this time and age. It was a lot easier too as well. **

**"Have a safe trip and call us when you get there." Xena said. **

**"I will." A.J. said."Will you be ok with the kids. I know its going to be a lot more work with two kids now." **

**"I'll handle it. I will have everything under control." Xena said. She liked how considerate he was. He'd taken off work during her pregnancy just to take over the house and Jeremy in her fourth month."Go, the sooner you go the faster you'll be back." **

**"Ok." A.J. said. He kissed her. It was a long kiss too. **

**"Eww mommy and daddy kiss." Jeremy said laughing. They stopped and looked at him and laughed too. Soon A.J. left. **

**"Come on Remy let's get dressed and we'll go to the park." Xena said picking up Melissa. They went upstairs. Xena looked in the mirror as she did her make up. She looked the same really except her hair was natural ringlets. It looked like a slinky that had been pulled apart. Her hair was cut in layers, and she looked beautiful. Another thing that was different was her height. She was Five feet and Six and a half inchs. She knew she wouldn't grow anymore. She also noticed than her skin was a little darker, but it wasn't a tan. It was slightly darker. Like a cinnamin color.**

**"Mommy let's go." Jeremy said. **

**"Hold on I'm coming." Xena said as she made up the bed. She straightened up before she took them to the park. **

**"Soon you'll be running around too." Xena said to Melissa. She reminded her so much of Eve as a baby. It broke her heart to know she'd missed so much. Just like Solan. Jeremy started crying and snapped her back to reality. She stood up and went over to Jeremy. **

**"Oh baby what happen?" Xena asked seeing his skinned knee. **

**"I fell." Jeremy cried. **

**"Oh poor baby." Xena said. She picked him up and turned around. There was some guy she'd never seen before hovering over her baby. She walked over. **

**"Hey get your hands away from my baby." Xena said pushing him back in a guy who grabbed him. Every mother grabbed their child. Another guy who had his own daughter at the park helped to keep him down. Some one at the park called police. Xena checked on Melissa and found it was just a doll. **

**"Where is she?" Xena asked him. **

**"She's not there?" Some one asked. **

**"Its a doll." Xena said. Every one looked around. He either hid her or had a partner. Perhaps the partner wasn't long gone. Xena looked too keeping a tight hold on Jeremy who was still crying about his knee. The police showed up and closed off the park. They searched and took the guy into custody. They took the stroller as evidence. Xena went to the police station as well. She'd only looked away for half a minute to see to Jeremy. **

**"Now ma'am tell us what happen." said the officer. **

**"We went to the park and I was sitting on the bench reading. I was watching Jeremy at the same time too. He was playing on the jungle gym. Than I looked away and was playing with Melissa for a moment. She was in her stroller right next to me. Than I heard Jeremy start crying. I put my book down and went over to him. I was only talking to him for half a minute before I picked him up and turned around. That's when I saw the guy you have in custody with his hands in the stroller. I went over and I pushed him into the guy on the bench reading the paper. He grabbed a hold of him and another guy helped to keep him down. I looked in the stroller to check on Melissa and saw it was a doll. Than everyone started searching, but we didn't find her." **

**"Well its ok ma'am we're going to find your daughter. But did you notice any strange men at the park today?" He asked. **

**"Yes, but I saw him leaving when I was arriving. Than that guy you have. He was lurking around, but when I went to Jeremy I was under the impression he had gone." Xena said. **

**"Did you get a good look at the other guy?" He asked. "That could have been a trick. Most people would forget him, and he could come back unnoticed and look like a parent watching his kid." **

**"Um yea tall guy, thick blond mustache, his hair was long it was nearly to his knees, and it was brown. He had blue eyes and he was muscular so I think he worked out. He was carrying a long forest green jacket with lots of pockets on them. He also wore black jeans, brown hiking boots, and gray t-shirt. Oh and he also looked like he was due for another shave of his beard. His eyes also looked a bit shrunken like he was weak from not eatting or something." **

**"Ok could you give that description to our artist." Xena nodded. She left out of the interogation room and gave the description again. She called A.J., who said he'd take the next plane back immediately. She stayed at the police station for hours. A.J. was back by the time she got home. She cried, because for her this was the third child she'd lost. She was just no good with children.**

**"Shh..shhh its ok. Melissa is going to turn up safe and sound." A.J. said. **

**"I hope so." Xena said. She wasn't even concerned with Gabrielle. The next day they went to the hospital. The police had found her. They'd finally got a hit on the man. He was an international kidnapper. He sold them to illegal and legal adoption agencies. They had a series of leads through the night. They didn't catch the guy, because he was long gone with his money, but they found Melissa. **

**"Melissa." Xena said. She hugged her. A.J. kissed her forehead. They talked to the police before they were able to check her out. A week later Xena kind of felt better about leaving Melissa alone in a room. A.J. had to go see about that Dam before it broke, and killed a lot of people. He promised to be back for the fourth of July. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

**"Mommy we go to park." Jeremy said pulling her towards the door. **

**"No, mommy goes back to work today. Its time for you to go to daycare." Xena said. Jeremy liked daycare. She kissed them both goodbye, and felt better that there was a security system at the daycare. Xena liked her job. She taught kung fu classes. She herself was a 12th degree black belt, but she taught first degree black belts in the morning and second degree blackbelts in the afternoon. That was on Mondays and Tuesdays. On Wedesdays and Thursdays she taught the yellow belts. Than on Fridays and half of Saturday she taught the white belts. Today she was teaching her black belts. **

**"Good, good keep it up." She said. They were sparring with staffs. **

**"Ok lets go through some staff drills. First lets you all do a forward roll with your staff in hand. It would not do if your in a situation where you have to defend yourself if you lost your staff and the enemy picked it up now, would it?" Xena asked. **

**"No, ma'am!" They yelled out. They got in four lines and she stood on the other side of the room watching them. Some lost their weapons others didn't. She demonstrated the proper way. At the end of her second class a woman walked in with her kid. Xena could hear her heels on the padded floor even. She turned and came face to face with Gabrielle. **

**"Xena?" She asked when she got closer. **

**"Lisa." Xena said."You are?" **

**"Gab..Monica." Gabrielle said. **

**"And whose this?" Xena asked. **

**"Um...my nephew apparently." Gabrielle said. **

**"Auntie why are you being so weird today." He said."Anyway do you know where we can sign up for lessons?" **

**"Yea, down the hall to your left it'll say administrative office." Xena said. **

**"Will you be here when I get back?" Gabrielle asked. **

"No, but you'll see me again." Xena said picking up her gym bag. They walked out of the room, and she turned out the lights. She locked the door, and they parted. She picked up Jeremy and Melissa. When they got home she changed and started dinner.

**"I love you, you love me where best friends like friends should be. With a great big hug and a kiss from me to you. Won't you say you love me too." Jeremy sang from the living room. He was watching Barney. Xena smiled as she made lasanga. She thought about Gabrielle, and realized that as much as she loved her friend this whole experience had felt like all her own. It was a place she went to get away from her own world that brought so much heartbreak to her. Like Gabrielle escaped into her writing expressing herself in anyway she imagined. **

**"Jeremy dinner's ready." Xena said. Jeremy ran in with Melissa. Xena immediately stopped him. **

**"Oh baby no don't run with your sister your way to little to do that, and she's way to little." Xena said taking Melissa."Ok?" **

**"Ok." Jeremy said as she checked Melissa who was fine. Jeremy told her about his day as they ate dinner. A.J. called and they talked to him before she took them upstairs for a bath. After a bath Xena watched a movie with Jeremy as they layed in her bed. He fell asleep, and she turned the television off. She pulled the cover up over him, and turned out the light. She slowly got out of bed and managed to get some cleaning done. **

**"Again." Xena said. They were jumping and kicking at the same time. She was making them jump high."Again." **

**"Ah!" They said as they jumped. Once they were tired she stopped. **

**"Rest." Xena said. They got their water bottles and meditated focusing their minds. Xena approved and she too sat down to meditate. **

**"Now that everyone has had a chance to focus their minds you'll spar with me. Let's see how high up I have to block for you to kick me when you jump." Xena said." Get in alphabetical order." They got in alphabetical order. She was sparing with her best student when Gabrielle showed up with her nephew. **

**"Enough!" Xena said. Her student paused in mid kick. They bowed to each other."Good work Lin. Pair up and I want to see some sparring with the staff than we'll run drills. Alternate between attacking and defensive." They nodded and ran to the wall getting their staffs. She walked over to Gabrielle. **

**"What are you two doing here all white belts come Fridays and Saturdays." Xena said. She wasn't the only teacher here, but still these days were specifically for white belts. **

**"Um...William wanted to see the classes." Gabrielle said. She still looked shaken by the whole future thing. Everything was different about her except her eyes and height.**

**"Can I join in?" William asked. **

**"These are first degree black belts they won't go easy on you." said Xena."I think you should wait until friday. By the way don't forget your running shoes." **

**"What for?" William asked. **

**"You'll be doing a lot of running." Xena said."Its conditioning season here at the school. All belts go through it. We start this friday and we don't end for two weeks. But your both welcome to sit in and watch." With that Xena turned and walked back to her students who were surrounding two kids. One was a mean boy she didn't know, and the other was her worst student in the class. He was really beating the hell out of him. The boy on the floor was just barely blocking him and he already had a bloody nose. She grabbed a staff from a student next to her. She blocked the next blow which would have came down hard. **

**"Who the hell are you?" Xena asked. **

**"None of your business now get out of my way." He said as the boy moved. **

**"No, this is my class and you'll not disrupt it or harm my students." Xena said. He tried to hit her, but she of course blocked and had him on his back in no time. She put her staff near his throat, so he stayed down.**

**"Max what happen?" Xena asked. Max her best student stepped forward. **

**"That kid just came out of no where and started attacking Benjermin." She said.**

**"Ok, so some random kid comes in and attacks a classmate and you all stand around and do nothing." Xena said. **

**"We didn't know how." said one kid. **

**"We've got a lot of work to do." Xena said. They should have learned how already. Or at least had an idea."Benjermin, whose this boy?" **

**"My brother." Benjermin said. He was a bloody mess."He's jealous because I won in the last competition, and he's still a white belt. He goes to a different school." **

**"Get out of my class and this school." Xena said. Benjermin's brother ran out."Come with me the rest of you run laps around the class. When I get back I want to hear your ideas on how to help a classmate out." They nodded and ran around. **

**"Staffs in the air!" Xena said as she left out. She took Benjermin to the nurses office. She got him some tissue. **

**"Why didn't you fight back?" Xena asked holding an ice pack above his nose. **

**"He's my big brother, and mother says we're not suppose to fight." Benjermin said. **

**"Well I think your mother put you in this school so you wouldn't get your ass kicked like you did today, so next time your brother comes at you use your skills to keep him at bay. You don't have to hit him. Kung Fu is self-defense. We teach defense and offense. Your a black belt a first degree one at that. You don't get here letting someone kick your ass because your better. Did you win all those medals and trophies letting your opponent win?" **

**"No." He said.**

**"Well you can't expect your brother to stop or not come to your school and humiliate you the way he did." **

**"How'd you know I feel humiliated?" Benjermin asked. He resembled Solan unlike Jeremy who just reminded her of him. **

**"No self respecting black belt would not be humiliated especially at your age. Your the youngest in the class and your Kung Fu education isn't up to part in the standards we have here. You have the most to prove." **

**"I practice every night." He said. **

**"And your improving." Xena said. **

**"I thought I was suppose to put my head back." Benjermin said. **

**"No, the blood will go back into your throat and you could choke on it." Xena said. **

**"Oh." Benjermin said. When the bleeding stopped they went back to the classroom. Soon it was lunch time. **

**"See you next monday." Xena said. Benjermin came up to her. **

**"Ms. Smith if its ok with you I'd like to get additional help outside of class." He said. **

**"Talk to me after conditioning." Xena said. Benjermin nodded and ran out after grabbing his stuff. **

**"Xena can we talk now." Gabrielle said. **

**"Lisa, and sure." Xena said. William was ten years old and ran around the courtyard of the school. During the school year it was more academic, but the summer was dedicated strictly to Kung Fu. It was prestigious and the top in the state. **

**"So your Lisa a 12th degree black belt and I'm just Monica the boring house wife who has adopted her nephew." Gabrielle said. **

**"Yea, but I don't know if your boring." Xena said.**

**"Well at least your not married, and that evens out the playing field." Gabrielle said. Xena looked away. "Oh no you are. That's great your a master at Kung Fu and your married. I bet its going great, isn't it?" **

**"Yea." Xena said after a moment. **

**"Great, just great. I liked my past life better. At least than I wasn't going through some messy custody battle for a kid I know nothing about anymore. Another girl by the way and guess what I named her?" **

**"What?" **

**"Hope." Gabrielle said. **

**"Oh." Xena said. **

**"That's all you can say is oh. My second husband just scatches his balls and drink beer. He barely gets up for work. And I have to do everything for him." Gabrielle said."Please tell me you've been married twice?"**

**"Nope." Xena said. **

**"Your pregnant aren't you that's what could make it worse. You having a happy life and me having a shity one instead of an equally good one." Gabrielle said. **

**"No, I'm not pregnant." Xena said. **

**"Oh good." Gabrielle said. Xena let her have her moment. **

**"I gave birth five months ago." Xena said. **

**"I knew it, I knew it when you said you weren't pregnant." Gabrielle said."Is there more than one?" **

**"Yea, we have a son." Xena said. **

**"This is just great Xena. I'm miserable." Gabrielle said. **

**"Well if you don't like your husband divorce him first of all. Get your daughter, because I'm sure she's nothing like the other Hope. Thirdly figure out what Monica's dream job is and get it. The fourth and second most important thing is you love that boy as much as you love your own daughter. Because your the only one he has in this world now." Xena said."Make the most of your life here and make your counterpart happy. Because if you hate it than I know she hates it."**

**"Your right. You've never been more right. I have to figure this world out, and try harder to remember." Gabrielle said."By the way how did you remember your counterparts life." **

**"She's a part of me. I just searched my heart." said Xena. The bell rang."Now if you will excuse me I have to go teach my next class, but we'll talk more on Saturday after his lesson." Gabrielle nodded and they parted ways.**

Author's Note: Please Review.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

**"Jeremy play nice." Xena said when he pushed Hope. She was four years old. **

**"Hope, are you alright?" Gabrielle asked. Hope nodded. **

**"Sorry." Jeremy said. He ran over to his sister who was trying to crawl. **

**"Do you have a pool?" William asked. **

**"Yea." Xena said. **

**"Cool can I use it?" William asked. **

**"Sure go ahead. Be careful." Xena said. William ran to the sliding glass door and out back. **

**"Nice place you got here." Gabrielle said looking at all the pictures."This your husband?" **

**"Yea." Xena said."Want some lemonade?" **

**"Yea sure." said Gabrielle. Xena went into the kitchen and came back with lemonade. They sat down at the dining room table. **

**"Hope is beautiful." Xena said. **

**"Yea, she's so different, which is good." Gabrielle said. Xena nodded. **

**"Jeremy's different too." Xena said.**

**"When we go back and if we ever get thrown back into the time line will we miss a large part of our lives like we did before." **

**"No, I think the time line is stable." Xena said.**

**"So do you cook?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"Yea, sometimes. Its a whole lot easier to cook, and sometimes you don't even have to cook. You can have someone else make it and deliver it." Xena said.**

**"I can't believe how far things have come. Indoor bathrooms." Gabrielle said. **

**"Yea, and you don't have to go outside for water. Much cleaner, but the air is horrible." Xena said. **

**"Your tellin' me." Gabrielle said."Can you feel your counterparts soul?"**

**"I am her soul." said Xena. **

**"Why are you so calm about all this?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"I don't know." Xena said."I've kind of just been going with it. You know. Following the scedule and taking care of the kids." **

**"Well at least your life's not to perfect. Your husband isn't even home to help you with all this." Gabrielle said. **

**"He's actually very helpful when he's home." said Xena. **

**"Can you pretend something is wrong in this life of yours." Gabrielle said. **

**"My brothers are dead." Xena said. **

**"So's my sister we're even in that department." Gabrielle said.**

**"Well I don't know what to say. I can't help it, if these lives turned out the way they did." Xena said. **

**"Xena your not the same person." Gabrielle said wanting her to feel bad. **

**"What do you expect?" Xena said."If you haven't noticed, I don't have to go around being a Hero, because now people understand that somebody has to be in charge of these things or we'll all die eventually. The streets are clean well most, and kids have a place to play without getting hurt. Almost everyone has a job, and anyone without a job doesn't go hungry if they get help. Unlike back in Greece where even you have a job you go hungry, because no ones buying from you." **

**"Xena..." Gabrielle started. **

**"No, you are not going to sit here and complain about your future life.You are going to do something. Everything is for a reason. Your not going to make me feel sorry, because my future self managed to do very well for herself. She's not feeled with hate or fighting her dark side. I finally find peace." Gabrielle was silent."Now look we're not the type of people who complain about our problems. We do something about them." **

**"Your right." Gabrielle said."I've turned into someone I'm not. I didn't spend my life in the past just complaining about how I didn't want to just be a housewife. I did something about it. I followed you." **

**"Exactly." Xena said. "So you go do some soul searching, and once you can remember your counterpart's life. We'll talk it over, because I know your still not going to understand even if you remember. So we'll figure it out together. And in no time you'll be happy." Gabrielle nodded. After awhile she went home after really being introduced to the kids.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

**"Lisa." A.J. said coming into the kitchen.It was Sunday, and Xena had just put the kids to bed for a nap an hour ago. They had gone to church. She understood that her and A.J. had a compromise with church. She wasn't very religious, and neither was he. But he felt it was important they go every Sunday anyway. But they had compromised that they'd go to church every sunday it was an even day. Except on important dates like Christmas or Easter when the dates didn't matter. **

**"Your back." Xena said turning around a little and kissing him when he bent down. She was in overalls as she fixed the leak in the sink.**

**"Yea." A.J. said."I told you I'd be back for the fourth of July. They don't need me anymore. It was a quick fix." **

**"Good." Xena said. **

**"So when did we get a leak?" A.J. asked. **

**"Last night." Xena said."I'm almost done if your hungry." She stood up and so did A.J. She searched in his tool box for the right tool. It took her a minute to realized she'd grabbed the wrong thing. A.J. handed it to her before replying. **

**"Yea, I'm hungry just not for food, and I'd prefer to eat her right where she's at." A.J. said. Xena smiled as they kissed. She was glad her future self found peace. **

**"Do you plan on doing me right here?" Xena asked. **

**"Yes." A.J. said, and he did. **

**"I wonder if the neighbors saw." A.J. said. **

**"If they did I hope it was as good for them as it was for me." Xena said. They were sitting in the chairs with their heads on the table. **

**"They'd be some perverted bastards too." A.J. said. They stood up and dressed. She finished the sink, and he fixed his own food. **

**"So what's the plan for the fourth of July?" Xena asked."You said you wanted to plan it all on your own." **

**"Well since its Melissa's first fourth of July I thought it only fitting we go see fireworks." A.J. said sitting down. **

**"Yes of course she'll love that." Xena said putting her arms around him from behind. Her head was right next to his. **

**"Yea, and so will Jeremy. I was also thinking we'd barbeque. It'll be just us and the kids. And we'll do it all on a boat I rented. That way we can watch the fire works from the water. Also we can camp out overnight it'll be fun." **

**"Alright sounds fun." Xena said kissing him. **

**"Hmmm you would be ready for round three after we got dressed." A.J. said. **

**"I'm not the only one." Xena said."Come on let's go do this in private." She pulled him up and they were moving upstairs. **

**"DADDY!" Jeremy exclaimed from behind them. They stopped kissing and turned slightly. **

**"Hey buddy." A.J. said as Xena buttoned his pants back up and fixed her own overalls."And I thought I was going to surpise you." He turned around and picked him up when he came down to him. **

**"You did." Jeremy said."Mommy, Daddy's home." **

**"Yes, I see. Why don't you let him tuck you in. I believe we agreed on four hours." Xena said. **

**"A four hour nap?" A.J. asked as the doorbell rang. **

**"If he gets enough sleep he'll be well rested when we watch the fireworks." Xena said."He still has another hour." **

**"Alright you heard your mother if your going to see those fireworks." said A.J. **

**"Ok Daddy." Jeremy said as he prepaired to carry him like he was flying. **

**"I'll get the door." Xena said as A.J. mouthed they'd finish up once he was out. Xena nodded and went downstairs. She opened the door. Gabrielle was there with William and Hope. She looked shaken. **

**"He got pissed off when I told him I wanted a divorce. The soul searching wasn't working so I thought I'd just get rid of the main problem. I could see." said Gabrielle."He went crazy and threw us out. I'm glad that's all he did." **

**"Yea, your real lucky that's all he did." Xena said as they came in. **

**"Lisa, I'm just going to take them to the park." A.J. said. He came down carrying both Melissa and Jeremy. They were dressed. **

**"You didn't wake her up did you?" Xena asked. **

**"No, I would never." A.J. said innocently."Whose your friend?" **

**"Monica." Xena said."Her nephew William is in my Friday and Saturday classes. And this is her daughter Hope."**

**"Well nice to meet you. I'm Adam, but everybody calls me A.J." He said. **

**"What's the J for?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"Jeremy." A.J. said. **

**"Oh I see." said Gabrielle. **

**"Yea well they're going to stay with us until we can get Monica back on her feet. Her husband kicked her out, because she wants a divorce." Xena said. **

**"Cool." A.J. said knowing his wife would never turn away a friend in need. He took the kids to the park including Hope and William so Xena could give her the pep talk she desperately needed to get out of their house faster. **

**"He's a sweet guy." said Gabrielle. **

**"Yea." Xena said. She got her settled into the guest room."I wish I could offer you guys more room, but we only have one more bed room. **

**"That's ok." Gabrielle said."You just help me do some soul searching. Once I figure out what exactly my dream is I'll go for it." **

**"Yea, and I hope it doesn't require college. Because it'll take even longer." Xena said."But that's if Monica hasn't already gone yet." They meditated on the floor in the living room. Memories came to me easily, and Gabrielle struggled. **

**"How are you doing on your end?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"Great, I said."I'm reliving twenty minutes ago before you showed up." **

**"What happen twenty minutes ago?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"Do you really need me to answer that?" Xena asked opening one eye. Gabrielle was silent thinking as she opened an eye. **

**"You didn't." Gabrielle said."But doesn't that change the future?" **

**"No, that's the great part. You can't change what hasn't happened yet." said Xena."Its when we relieve past things we've already done. That's when things get changed." **

**"But how do we know we aren't doing the opposite of our counterparts?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"Well the emotions your feeling they are your emotions, but they are your counterparts as well. So in a way you feel what she feels. And you react how she would react. Like when you were complaining about my life and yours. And I responded in a way only Lisa could." Xena said."So what ever the situation is in our hearts we know what Lisa or Monica would do. And whether or not we do what they want or not its a slight change in the events. I mean when you go back and do something different things always change. Like if I went back in time and decided not to change my ways and keep Solan. Solan would probably be a killer like me, and hopefully I would have conquered Greece. But I know the one thing that'll never change." **

**"What?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"The people you meet. Or the souls you come in contact with in your first life time you will come in contact with for the rest of your life. Even if your never aware of them." said Xena."And it seems me that A.J. and I come in contact quite a lot." **

**"You saw into pass life?" Gabrielle asked opening both of her eyes. Xena opened her eyes too. **

**"No, no I can tell from the sex." Xena said."We've done this before and I don't mean in just this life time. I've done a lot of reading lately in my spare time, and I'm learning about religion. I'm really reading into it. So this whole idea with Karma and Rebirth. Than I apply the now proven theory that the people we meet in the past we meet again in the future. Now have you ever had great sex?" **

**"No." Gabrielle said shaking her head. **

**"Ok, so I know your lost. Well I've had great sex before and its like he knows all the right places on you and you know all the right places." **

**"What do you mean all the right places?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"Wow you really know nothing about sex after all these years." Xena said. **

**"Well I'm sorry you never like to talk about it, and I wasn't married for than long." Gabrielle said. **

**"Its ok to be premiscuous if your marriage fails or your widowed. At least that was what I was taught growing up. But than again I liked to be premiscuous before I got married." said Xena. **

**"Xena back than you never got married." Gabrielle said. **

**"Well that's beside the point." Xena said."Now when I say all the right places I just mean the little things that turn you on. Like some people liked to be kissed on their neck or for their lover to nibble on their ear." **

**"Eww they like to eat their ear?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"No, I don't mean nibble as in eat. When you apply nibble to sex it just means to suck on their ear. I don't know why, but that's just some people's libido."  
**

**"Libido?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"Sex drive or something like that." said Xena. **

**"What's your thing?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"Me, I'm a neck person." Xena said. **

**"Could you show me?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"What?" Xena asked. **

**"Could you demonstrate on me?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"No, but back to what I was getting at. Anyway when you have great sex with someone you've never had sex with before in the this life time anyway than the way I see it is you've met before in several life times. So I assume that you've both had several times to really know each other so intimately. Even if nothing else clicks. This is the one thing that does, because trust me you'll try and work out the other issues in a..." Gabrielle had kissed her. Xena kissed her back, but she wasn't interested. She loved Gabrielle, but as a friend. She went both ways true enough, but Gabrielle wasn't what she wanted. She was a lousy kisser too. **

**"Now will you show me?" Gabrielle asked backing up a bit. She had smile on her face having enjoyed the kiss.**

**"Gabrielle let me get this straight first. Do you like me or are you just doing this, so I'll show you." **

**"Well apparently Monica's met Lisa, because she's been wanting to kiss you as much as I have." said Gabrielle." Xena I guess years of unfulfilled sexual desire for you has given me the courage, and not just years, lifetimes." **

**"Wow." Xena said."This ain't gonna end well." **

**"What'd you mean?" Gabrielle asked."If its A.J. you can always divorce him." **

**"No, no its not A.J. he has nothing to do with this." Xena was saying. Than the kids ran in as A.J. unlocked the door. They stood up and watched as they stopped their rampage in front of the television. **

**"We're back." A.J. said. **

**"Hey baby." Xena said. The phone rang. He picked it up. **

**"Its for you." A.J. said. Xena took the phone. A.J. and Gabrielle watched her. She hung up the phone.**

**"Who was that?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"That was my boss." Xena said."I have to learn Sho-dan Karate, T'ai Chi Chuan, Ju jitsu, Ninjutsu, Akido, and Tae Kwon Do." **

**"What you can't learn all those." A.J. said. **

**"I have to know enough to teach a class on them all. But I have to master at least three before I teach another class involving Hung Gar Kung fu." I said. **

**"How are you going to master three martial arts?" A.J. asked."Working is your happiness next to the kids." **

**"I know, but they're paying me to master three arts, and learn enough to teach a white belt class of one more." **

**"Do you get to choose which four?" A.J. asked. **

**"Yea, I'm choosing T'ai Chi Chuan, Ju jitsu, and Ninjutsu to master. And I'm going to teach. Sho-dan Karate." Xena said."I already know enough Akido and Tae Kwon Do to teach a class." **

**"Since when?" A.J. asked. **

**"I dabbled a bit when I got my first degree black belt when I was ten." Xena said. **

**"Oh well that makes sense." A.J. said. **

**"Yea, excuse me while I go make some calls." Xena said going into the kitchen. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

**"So when is your first class?" A.J. said. They were at the park with the kids. Melissa was laying between them on the blanket fast asleep. Jeremy was running around with other kids.**

**"September first." Xena said.**

**"So is your friend going to accompany us on the fourth of July." A.J. said. Xena looked at him. **

**"I don't think so. I've got her waitressing, and I'm looking for suitible apartments." Xena said."Do you hate my friend?"**

**"No, she's just annoying. She's always complaining to you and you keep telling her if she's so unhappy do something while your trying to do something about it." A.J. said."I don't know how you do it?" **

**"You know I've been pondering that all my life." Xena said. **

**"Lisa, do you like other women?"A.J. asked. **

**"Sure, I am a woman it'd be weird if I hated my own gender." Xena said. **

**"No, no not like that." A.J. said."I mean do you really like them half as much as you like me." **

**"Oh." Xena said looking away. That had caught even her off guard."Why do you ask?" **

**"Because I saw you kissing Monica." A.J. said. **

**"Well I'm not interested Monica." Xena said looking him in the eye."She caught me off guard." **

**"Does she know your not?" A.J. asked. **

**"No, not really. I haven't had a chance to tell her." Xena said. **

**"You should, but she isn't crazy is she?" A.J. asked. **

**"No, but she is going to be really depressed when I tell her." Xena said."I've known her a long time, and I just know..." **

**"Lisa, you just met her last year. That's not that long especially if you two hardly hang out, because you work and she doesn't." A.J. said."What's going on with you. Ever since you had Amnesia when Jeremy was one you've been acting strange on and off. Your always different somehow." **

**"Like how?" Xena asked.**

**"I don't know. Its like your aware of something I'm not, and than when you stop acting weird so to speak you remember nothing and I end up having recap to you the year or month. Even week. Before you remember everything." A.J. said. **

**"Well I suppose it couldn't hurt me to tell you." Xena said."Well besides the fact you'll probably think I'm crazy and leave me taking our kids." **

**"I love you. If you were crazy I'd get you help before that ever even came to mind. Even than I wouldn't do it unless you proved to be a danger to the kids. We talked about this. If one of us goes crazy and are a danger to the kids we break up no matter what." A.J. said. **

**"Yea, we did agree on that." Xena said. **

**"Yea, so go ahead and tell me it can't be anything to out there." A.J. said."Probably just a medical problem clear it up in a few months." **

**"Doubt it and it is pretty out there." Xena said."But the truth is I'm not Lisa. Well I am Lisa, but Lisa from a past life." **

**"Your right that is grounds to think your crazy." A.J. said."But I'm just going to roll with this, because I'm curious. Who are you if your not Lisa, and where is Lisa?" **

**"Me I am Xena the show is for real. They only want to make you think its fake. Lisa is right here I'm her soul. She's just not concious of me her past life taking control. We're the same soul, but two different souls." **

**"So your Lisa, but you remember the past." A.J. said.**

**"Well I remember my life, and I remember Lisa's life." Xena said. **

**"Oh well I can accept this." A.J. said."It makes sense actually. Amnesia is the perfect cover, so I'm thinking it was divine intervention. It also explains why you always have these weird ten second meetings with guys and than just keep walking all confused wondering where you met him or her even." **

**"That would be two souls recognizing each other, but the concious part of you does not know the other." Xena said. **

**"Oh now this makes sense." A.J. said."Your Lisa's soul and your making her concious part aware." A.J. said. Xena was silent as she thought. **

**"You know that makes perfect sense." Xena said."I guess if you put it that way. Its as if there are many layers to a person's soul and each of us we live our lives and we die. Than once we're re-born a new layer is added and we contribute to this new layer as we learn about the new world we're living in. As I can see the world changes a lot." **

**"Yea, now your just aware of the layers." A.J. said."Its weird your not different just aware." **

**"Yea, your one of the lucky ones. All you have to deal with is my soft side. In this time I don't have to put up walls to much to protect myself." **

**"Everybody puts up walls." A.J. said."I remember when we met you tried to block me out even after we had that weird first meeting. Do you remember we couldn't stop looking at each other." **

**"Yea." Xena said."I remember." **

"Do you think we were meant to be and always have been. Like we were together in past lives." said A.J.

**"I can say that in this life time we were definately meant to be." Xena said."And I can say that in my time there was a lot of loss. I never met anyone like you. People who you remind me of, but no one like you. So whose to say I won't meet you when I go back to living in the past, and Lisa no longer becomes aware. But if I hadn't of come here I doubt I'd have let you in." **

**"I hope we're meant to be in the past and in the future." A.J. said putting his arm around her. **

**"Well the sex is great, so I'll tell you this we've met before. And if it doesn't work out next life time we're bound to get it right. We're stuck together A.J." **

**"Like glue?" A.J. asked. **

**"No, like a samurai sword that's been folded over and over. Except we'll never be pounded thin." said Xena. He kissed her. **

**"What do you say we drop the kids off at your mother's and we go home?" A.J. asked. **

**"I was thinking the same thing." Xena said."You take Jeremy I'll get Melissa." A.J. nodded. He stood up and went to get Jeremy. Her mother was all to happy to take them. She hadn't spent any time with them. Xena was happy her father was alive. Just sad about her brothers. They waved by as they drove off. **

**"Damn I never knew an hour's drive back from your parents to be this long." A.J. said. **

**"Well before we've never wanted to have sex." Xena said." I don't know how we have sex as little as we do." Xena said. **

**"Me either." A.J. said."I've been trying to tell you we need to scedule these things." **

**"You can't scedule sex. I like spontaneous sex not sceduled sex. Sceduled sex would take away some of the fun." They had a discussion on whether or not they really should scedule it. When they got home she had won. They opened the door to see Monica, William, and Hope. **

**"Hey guys."Gabrielle said."Where are the kids?"**

**"You wanna write it or should I?" A.J. whispered without seeming too. **

**"Monica I thought you had to work." Xena said. **

**"I quit I didn't like it." Gabrielle said."I want to be a writer. So I was looking through the phone book perhaps you can help me find a publisher." **

**"Um...no I um...I mean we came to get some clothes for the kids. They're staying at my mother's." Xena lied."A.J. go keep the car warm." **

**"Oh yea no need for us both to go get clothes." He left out. Xena shut the door and went upstairs. She got a few clothes for the kids. Than she got some protection. She was counting how many they had when Gabrielle came up. **

**"Xena." Gabrielle said. Xena turned around putting the condoms in her pocket. **

**"Yea?" Xena asked. **

**"What was that?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"Nothing important." Xena said."Just balloons." **

**"Oh well I was thinking you could have A.J. take William and Hope to my mother's. She's like two hours away from here. And we could get to know each other way better." Gabrielle said. **

**"You mean sex?" Xena asked. **

**"Well yea." Gabrielle said. **

**"No thanks I'm not interested." Xena said. **

**"Do you need me to take off my top," Gabrielle asked, "because I will." **

**"No, no don't." Xena said." I have to go. We'll see you when we get back. Don't wait up." She left.**

**"What happen?" A.J. asked."Your not turned off, are you?" **

**"Yea, I am. That tends to happen when your worst nightmare comes true." Xena said."From my point of view the worst thing that could happen in my past life is for my best friend to be attracted to me. And even worse it actually makes me not want to have sex." **

**"That is bad." A.J. said driving off."Did she kiss you or suggest something. Because if she just suggested it we can fix that. If she kissed you than we probably won't get anywhere tonight." **

**"She suggested and almost took her shirt off in front of me. But do me a favor, don't ever take her kids to her mother's without her." Xena said."Or without me. I don't care." **

**"How about I don't take them at all?" A.J. suggested. **

**"Even better." Xena said.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

**They went to a motel, and A.J. was right he could fix her mood. They did some role playing. She played a prositute and he played a married man. They went back to the motel. They had a lot of fun, and went through all the protection she brought. **

**"Oh Damn it." Xena said. **

**"What?" A.J. asked. **

**"I only brought five." Xena said."I didn't finish counting when I was cornered." **

**"Damn well you stay here I'll go get some." A.J. said getting out of bed. He kissed her. **

**"Hurry." Xena said. He nodded. He dressed quickly. He left out. He was gone for two minutes when their was a knock on the door. Xena got out of bed with the sheet wrapped around her. **

**"Who is it?" Xena asked. **

**"The police." said a male voice. **

**"What can I do for you officers?" Xena asked opening the door confused. **

**"You can get dressed ma'am prostitution is illegal." He said. **

**"I'm not a prostitute." Xena said. **

**"Your a lier. I know you came in here with my husband. I saw his car stop and pick you up. The cheating bastard." She said. **

**"Look I don't know who your husband is, but I came in here with my own husband." Xena said. "He just went to the store to pick up some protection." **

**"She's lying." said the woman. **

**"Look officers I'm not a prostitute, I have a legitimate job, and a husband. I don't know this woman or who her husband is. So could you please leave." **

**"Sure ma'am." the officer said. They left and she followed after them trying to get them back. A.J. came back. He looked confused and mad. He came inside. **

**"Who was that?" A.J. asked locking the door. **

**"I think some woman mistaked you for her husband. She was trying to bust him with the cops." Xena said."Did you get it?"**

**"Yea we've only got three. They were out, and should have more tomorrow." A.J. said. **

**"We can make it last." Xena said getting back on the bed. A.J. tossed her the box before taking his shirt off."Please allow me." He came over and she undressed him before pulling him in. **

**"Damn who is that?" A.J. asked. They'd gone back home, and it was late at night. They were using their last condom from the three pack. They had taken a break, but it wasn't often that Jeremy didn't run into their room. **

**"I don't know, but it is late, and they need to go home." Xena said."Maybe they'll go away." But who ever it was did not go away. She was just glad the kids didn't wake up. They had wanted to come home not yet up for an all night stay with her parents. Though they were tired out. They'd sleep through the night. **

**"I got it." Xena said. He rolled off her. She got out of bed and put her robe on. She went downstairs as Gabrielle poked her head out of the guest room door. **

**"Whose that?" Gabrielle asked. **

**"I have no idea, but they need to stop. We were hoping they'd go away." **

**"Me too." Gabrielle said. Xena stopped and got Melissa first as she started crying.**

**"Who is it?" she asked angry. **

**"Its me bitch your boyfriend's wife!" said a woman's voice."So open up and tell him to get his triflin' ass down here." **

**"Gabrielle tell A.J. to come here." Xena said turning around. Gabrielle went back upstairs. The doorbell started ringing again. A.J. came downstairs in his robe as Xena turned on the light. **

**"What?" A.J. asked. **

**"Settle this. I don't know who this is, but she seems to think your her husband and my boyfriend." Xena said. Gabrielle and Wiliam watched from the stairs with Jeremy and Hope. Everybody was up now. A.J. opened the door. **

**"Who are you looking for?" A.J. asked. **

**"Your triflin' ass Abraham Jeremiah Smith." She said. **

**"Hey calm down you lookin' for my brother and since when is he married." **

**"Oh don't play that with me. You are not about to sit up here and act like you don't know me." She said. **

**"No, no look I'll prove it. I'm his brother." He went and got a picture of his twin. She stopped looking at it. **

**"This is bullshit. Don't be tryin' to act like you are your brother if this shit ain't photo shopped." She said. **

**"Baby can you get my brother on the phone maybe he around to calm his damn wife down." A.J. said. Xena was already dialing the number. She was going off on him. It didn't take long for his brother Abraham to show up. **

**"Wanda what are you doing?" Abraham asked."I've been waiting at home for hours, and now I get a call your harassing my brother and his wife. And their house guest." She looked between them both. **

**"How do I know your not the twin that's covering for my husband." She said. **

**"Cause I got this tattoo." Abraham said pointing to it."Now apologize to my brother please before you cut me off from my family." **

**"I'm sorry I caused such a scene." She said."I'll be in my car." She left out. **

**"See you at the family dinner tomorrow Abraham." A.J. said. **

**"You too Adam." Abraham said."But um could you not mention this to our parents. We're divorcing soon, and its better they don't know about this at all." **

**"Know about what?" A.J. asked.**

**"Thank you." Abraham said."Goodnight Lisa, house guest, A.J., Melissa, Jeremy. Sorry again." **

**"Goodnight." We said. Jeremy took it upon himself to sleep in their bed. **

**"Like I said waste of a condom." A.J. said. Xena nodded as she went into the bathroom. She changed into her night dress. A.J. went in after her.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

**"What are you doing?" Xena asked seeing Gabrielle and William blow up something. They'd just gotten back from their boat trip. During the fourth of July they'd had fun. Hope was already playing with a few. Jeremy ran over to play too. Xena set down the diaper bag. **

**"Oh well Hope wanted to play with some balloons, so I hope you don't mind, but I went in your room and got them." Gabrielle said." Here's the last one." **

**"The last one, you mean you blew up every one." Xena said. **

**"Well yea. We blew up a few yesterday, but they all popped." Gabrielle said. **

**"Look I'm drawing faces on them." William said. A.J. was just shocked when he came in.**

**"Monica those aren't the balloons." Xena said. **

**"Oh really they work just like them." Gabrielle said. **

**"Yea, we've noticed." A.J. said. When they got them away from the kids. They popped them, and threw them away. **

**"Baby come here." A.J. said. Xena came out of the bathroom brushing her hair. **

**"What's up?" She asked. **

**"Look at this." A.J. said. She came over and sat down on the bed. He turned up the television. They watched in silence as companies that manufactured condoms and any type of birth control were bombed. They kept replaying it over and over until a live video feed showed up on the t.v. The new leader of Iraq had planned it all. He planned on killing off most americans by getting them pregnant or giving them aids. Pregnancy would slow down women less of them would join the army. And well people with aids not everybody can afford the medicines. **

**"That's fucked up." Xena said. **

**"Fucked up?" A.J. said."No, it is beyond fucked up. Its so beyond fucked up that I don't think anybody knows what to call it." **

**"God." Xena said."And she just used every last condom except one to make balloons." **

**"I'm going to the store perhaps they have more." A.J. said.**

**"Good luck." Xena said doubting they'd even get any. He came back with three boxes of condoms. They hid them.**

**"Pure luck." A.J. said."I just missed the rush of people afriad of pregnancy and diease. We're going to have to do the other ways of parent planning, so we have to scedule sex now." **

**"Yay my dream come true." Xena said rolling her eyes. **

**"Unless you remember ways to present pregnancy in the past." **

**"Even back than there was a herb to prevent it, but not dieases." Xena said. **

**"Oh well." A.J. said. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

**"We have to enroll him in preschool." A.J. said the day after they celebrated Jeremy's fourth birthday on September 5th that sunday after church. They were driving back. Jeremy and Melissa were fast asleep. **

**"I already found one." Xena said.**

**"Where I thought we were going to go over all possible preschools and narrow it down to three and finally the best one." A.J. said. **

**"I know, but its perfect for him, I think , but just in case I found others. We can discuss it more later. Your not necessarily going to agree with me." Xena said. **

**"Alright." A.J. said."I have time now before I have to go into the office." **

**"Ok." Xena said.**

**"So um...is Monica moving out?" A.J. asked. **

**"Yes, I found an apartment and now I have to go give her this long ass truthful lie before she moves out and doesn't give me that crap about we're best friends and we've been together forever." **

**"Have you?" A.J. asked."I mean in the past." **

**"Well in the past it was different. We were a novelty. We were two ass kicking women who didn't need a man. I mean love was just obsolete. Don't get me wrong it happened, but it felt like it was never meant to be. Now unbeknowest to her I've been aware before. But this is her first time. Which is why I'm so much more calm about this whole thing than she is. But now we're not so much a novelty you know. I could just as easily be independant in this time as I was back than. Sure it was harder than, but still. My point is really that Ga..Monica has never really been independant. She started off with her parents and has been with me so far. And in this life from what I know she's never been out on her own." **

**"Well she did marry that guy she's divorcing now rather quickly after her divorce was finalized with her first husband." A.J. said. **

**"Yea." said Xena."Anyway I have class today." **

**"Whose watching the kids?" A.J. asked. **

**"My mother. She'll take charge of the kids until I get home, which should be an hour before you. Dinner will be ready by than." **

**"Isn't it my turn to cook dinner tonight." A.J. said. **

**"Yea, but I want pot roast and you can't make that." Xena said. **

**"No, we had a deal. I cook this week. We always start on Sundays instead of Mondays." A.J. said."Now we're having pot roast since I get to choose." Xena sighed. **

**"Ok if you insist." Xena said. He really could not make pot roast. **

**"I do." A.J. said. They arrived home. Gabrielle came home just as they were leaving from her own church with her mother. **

**"Hey guys." Monica said.**

**"Hey." They said. **

**"Oh Xe...Lisa your not going to go fight again." Gabrielle said. **

**"No, I'm going to learn." Xena said."We have a lot to dicuss tomorrow though at lunch." **

**"Ok, but still stay home." **

**"I can't." Xena said."Anyway we'll all be back later tonight. A.J.'s fixing dinner so don't trouble yourself with it." **

**"Yea, we're having pot roast." A.J. said."Remy come on we'll be late for work." **

**"Ok daddy." Jeremy said still in his sunday suit. **

**"A.J. change him into a different suit if he insists on wearing one. I don't want his good sunday suit ruined." **

**"Lisa he won't ruin it don't worry." A.J. said. **

**"Tell me different when he ruins it." Xena said. They left after saying goodbye to Gabrielle again. **

**"Was she a good girl?" Xena asked picking up Melissa and kissing her cheek. She was only Four months and ten days away from her birthday. Nearly a year old already. **

**"Yes, she was a little angel." Mother said."Why don't you bring the kids over every sunday we love to have them here."**

**"Yes, and next time bring Jeremy we haven't seen the little tyke in a while." Father said. **

**"Ok, and are we still on for dinner friday night?" Xena asked. **

**"No, your father's got business up in Tahoe we'll be there until March, but we'll be back for Melissa's first birthday, and we were hoping you'd all come up there for Christmas." **

**"Ok we'll have to see about Christmas, but we're having dinner on thursday as a family." A little while later she left. When she got home she found Gabrielle trying to help A.J. clean Jeremy's suit. **

**"Please don't say it." A.J. said. **

**"Ok, but I will say this whatever your cooking is burning." Xena said. He sniffed the air.**

**"Oh no." A.J. said. He ran into the kitchen. **

**"There goes dinner." Xena said more to Melissa than Gabrielle. **

**"She looks like Eve." Gabrielle said. **

**"Yea, she does doesn't she." Xena said."Except not as chubby." **

**"Yea." Gabrielle said. They played while. A.J. tried to save their dinner. **

**"Adam hurry up we're hungry." Xena called towards the kitchen. **

**"I'm almost done hold on." A.J. said. Finally he was done. The results were horrible. **

**"Wow this is lovely." Xena said a bit in disbelief that he could have possibly cooked this bad. . **

**"Ewww." Jeremy said spitting it out. **

**"Come on we're going out." A.J. said. They thanked god and disposed of his food. **

**"You were right." A.J. said as they got in the car. **

**"I didn't quite catch that." Xena said truthfully. **

**"I said you were right." A.J. said. **

**"About?" Xena asked smiling a little now knowing full well what he was talking about. **

**"About me not being able to cook pot roast and Remy's suit." A.J. said. **

**"Now say it all together." Xena said. He did and she laughed along with Gabrielle. He took them to a Latin restaurant. There was dancing.  
**

**"Care to dance?" A.J. said when they were half finished. 'La Bamba' started playing and Xena nodded. She loved that he could salsa very well. **

**"You're such a good dancer." Gabrielle said to A.J. after he'd taken her on the dance floor out of politeness. He'd even danced with Hope. **

**"Thank you." A.J. said. "But I've been saving my best for this special little lady here." He tickled Melissa and she smiled. He took her out on the dance floor. All the other patrons thought it was cute. **

**"He's so good with the kids." Gabrielle said as Jeremy went to join him. **

**"Yeah, I know." Xena said. "Hey William can I have this dance?" William nodded finishing his food. It was funny, because he was uncoordinated. Gabrielle danced with Hope. The song ended and they sat down. They finished dinner and went home. The kids were tired out having had fun, so they went home. **

**"We should do that more often." Xena said as she got comfortable in bed next to him. **

**"Hmm...you're right we should." A.J. said kissing her.**

**"Do you want more kids or something?" Xena asked. **

**"Yeah." A.J. said.**

**"No, I meant, do you really want more kids so soon?" **

**" Melissa's almost one." A.J. said. Xena was silent for a moment thinking as he kissed her neck. **

**"Hmmm...you know what once I'm done training and all that I'll be ready for more kids, but right now I'm not, so if we're going to do this tonight we're going to have to open a box." **

**"Oh, but if we open the box than temptation is gonna take over and there's only ten condoms in the place." A.J. said. **

**"You figure out what you wanna do." Xena said lying down. He opened a box.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

"I told you, I told you, " Xena said to A.J., as they looked at their last three condoms.

"I know, I know, but who was to know that we'd be that bad at restraining ourselves or that they'd make balloons again."

"Uh we did." Xena sighed. "Well I'm still on the pill so we won't use a condom until I run out of pills, I've got a good supply of those. It should get us through the year." A.J. Nodded.

"We're husband and wife anyway, it shouldn't matter if we have unprotected sex."

"It doesn't, it's just a matter of us wanting more kids." She kissed him as she lay on his chest. It was the middle of the afternoon and they both had time to spend together. Gabrielle had taken the children to the park. A.J. Clicked on the television.

"President McGuire has now issued a draft for all male citizens between the ages of 18 and 45."

"Hmmm...you better hope your birthday isn't called."

"I've already sent God my prayers." Xena nodded. They watched as they called August 4Th and November 25Th. They were calling two birthdays a day. A.J. Got online and found out what exempt you from the draft as long as possible.

"All right let's see, I'm a passivist."

"So you're so passive that you could watch me being raped or your daughter?" Xena asked. A.J. shook his head no.

"No, I'd kill the bastard who dares to touch you or Melissa."

"Exactly why that won't work."

"We're Quakers?"

"We have a history of being Baptists, we can't just switch all of a sudden."

"We're moving to Canada?"

"You know damn well we can't afford to do that." A.J. sighed.

"What if I have a baby on the way?"

"I suppose that could work, they couldn't send a pregnant man to battle." A.J. laughed. "Besides the draft age is suppose to be 18 to 25 not forty-five. Everything will work itself out. Now why don't you come over here, I don't think I got enough sugar." A.J. grinned. He got back in bed and they were kissing when Gabrielle returned with the kids.

"Honestly I'm finding her a new apartment and I will pay her rent of her," A.J. groaned as they quickly changed just in time for Jeremy to open their door.

"Hey sweet pea did you have a nice time at the park?" Xena asked.

"Yes, William played with me."

"That's nice." Gabrielle came in with Melissa and dropped her on the bed.

"Your daughter is a hand full." A.J. grinned.

"Mel I told you not to give her a hard time." Melissa smiled and crawled over to him.

"Sorry to hear that," Xena told her and pretended to scold Mel lightly.

"Yeah, hey so William and Hope are downstairs, I'm going to go work on my novel at the café." They nodded. Gabrielle left. Xena took them back to the park so A.J. could actually rest like he had planned and than they switched off before meeting at the movies. Gabrielle had dinner waiting.

"Why do you look so happy?" Xena asked. She had just come from helping Gabrielle set up house in her apartment. "I mean besides that fact Monica has finally moved out."

"I did not know that, but yes!" He did a stupid dance that made her laugh. "Oh and by the way I am excluded from the draft."

"Why?" Xena asked happily.

"Because I have flat feet, they came for me personally today because so many people were skipping out on the draft and when they saw I had flat feet they let me go."

"Yes!" They jumped up and down for a little bit before they made love to celebrate. The children were in Tahoe with her parents until Christmas when they would arrive.

"So we're really going be alone tonight." Xena nodded as she lay back on the table breathing hard. They hadn't had sex in the kitchen in months.

"I've so missed being able to have sex anywhere in the house and the silence that usually comes during nap time is back. Because not only are the children away for another week, but the house is ours again.

"I know." They heard the front door open and they both looked at each other quizzically as they quickly dressed and went to see who had entered their house.

"Hi we're back," William said going straight for the television. Hope waved to them as she went for the television.

"This is not happening," A.J. muttered. "Where's your Aunt?"

"I'm right here, I'm surprised you missed me so quickly," Gabrielle told him.

"Gab…I mean Monica what are you doing back, I thought you were, you know going to enjoy your apartment with the children, and break it in over the next few days."

"Yeah we were, but we got bored.

"But you're going back though right?" A.J. asked.

"What?"

"He means why come here, why not go to a movie or something else more fun."

"Oh yeah we are, we just came to get you."

"Yeah, no I'm not up for the movies."

"Okay than we'll stay here, you have some free movies on your cable I want to see." She went to the couch with no intention of leaving. They whispered together arguing.

"Monica look here's the thing, we were hoping to get some alone time here at home you know with the kids away and all and you have to go, you don't have to go home, but you can't stay here," Xena told her. Gabrielle looked at her and blinked several times.

"Oh all right, come on guys let's go to the movies."

"Yes!" William grabbed Hope and ran for the door. They watched her go before Xena shut off the television.

"Great now where were we?"

"Celebrating," Xena told him as he locked the door. He chased her upstairs and they made love in the hallway and started too in bed, but they fell asleep. It was late when they woke up had dinner, naked on the couch. They were making out on the couch when the phone rang.

"Don't answer that," Xena told him.

"I wasn't." He laid her back and the answering machine came on.

"Lisa, its me Monica, my apartment burned down we're at the hospital."

"My God, I'm going to cry, does it never end with her, she's desperate for you."

"And here I thought she was taking it so well, but now she just thinks if she keeps me away from you until we can go back, I'll like her." They groaned and went to get them from the hospital.

"It was so horrible," She told Xena crying into her shoulder. Xena knew better, Gabrielle was never this emotional and she had been in plenty of burning buildings. "We've lost everything except what I still had in my car."

"What started the fire?" A.J. asked.

"Something about wire." Her head moved to Xena's chest and her hand slipped down to a place Xena didn't find too comfortable. She jumped and moved her hand.

"Time for bed, you really need to get some sleep after these things."

"Xe…I mean Lisa will you sleep with me, I don't want to be alone."

"You won't be, William will be there," Xena told her cursing that she didn't have Jeremy or Melissa for an excuse. "Now come on up to bed." Xena managed to get her in her own room before changing for bed after alerting her to the fact Hope needed her.

"So much for the week of sex and silence and we had planned."

"And walking around the house naked immediately after getting home," Xena added.

"Oh don't remind me, I was looking forward to seeing you naked all the time for a little while outside of us having sex and you taking a shower."

"I know what you mean." A.J. turn so his left hand was caressing her stomach. "However I don't see why we can't still pleasure each other." His hand drifted down into her panties after lifting up her nightdress. Xena allowed him to continue his caresses.

"I have to agree with you." A.J. adjusted switching hands, so he could kiss her. Things were progressing when Hope started screaming and they jumped separating.

"See you when she gets a new apartment," A.J. told her.

"Yeah," Xena told him just as annoyed. They tried to go to sleep, but were kept up by Hope's constant crying.


End file.
